Automatic container ejector apparatus

ABSTRACT

An automatic container ejector apparatus for use with a continuous motion packaging machine which erects, fills and closes containers. The ejector apparatus permits the operator to remove a carton or container for inspecting the container bottom for quality control purposes without stopping the machine. The automatic ejector apparatus includes a swingably mounted ejector arm means which is adapted to be selectively swung inward across the path of a container being moved from a bottom forming machine to a filling machine and for swinging outwardly to eject the selected container. An operating linkage means is provided for interconnecting the operation of the ejector arm means with the rotary movement of a rotary transfer unit for transferring the containers from the bottom forming machine to the filling machine. A control means is provided for selective operation of the ejector arm means.

United States Patent Appl. Nov 11,635

Filed Feb. 16, 1970 Patented Aug. 17, 1971 Assignee Ex-Cell-OCorporation Detroit, Mich.

AUTOMATIC CONTAINER EJECTOR APPARATUS 7 Claims, 9 Drawing Figs.

3,120,089 2/l964 Monroe etal.

ABSTRACT: An automatic container ejector apparatus for use with acontinuous motion packaging machine which erects, fills and closescontainers. The ejector apparatus permits the operator to remove acarton or container for inspecting the container bottom for qualitycontrol purposes without stopping the machine. The automatic ejectorapparatus includes a swingably mounted ejector arm means which isadapted to be selectively swung inward across the path of a containerbeing moved from a bottom forming machine to a filling machine and forswinging outwardly to eject the selected container. An operating linkagemeans is provided for interconnecting the operation of the ejector armmeans with the rotary movement of a rotary transfer unit fortransferring the containers from the bottom forming machine to thefilling machine. A control means is provided for selective operation ofthe ejector arm means.

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SHEET 2 OF 5 PATENTEDAUGI'IISH 3.599391 sum 3 or 5 P/V/Z/P C. MART/N Yuflor M. Mid/"A767? ATTORNEYS PATENTED-msu 7 an SHEET UF 5 INVENTORSAOEZAT J. AZZf/V BY P/l/Z/P C. MART/A JACK/H. NIH/P714767? ATTORNEYSAUTOMATIC CONTAINER EJECTOR APPARATUS SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Thisinvention relates generally to continuous motion packaging machines forerecting, filling and closing containers, and more particularly, to anovel and improved automatic container ejector apparatus for use with arotary transfer unit which conveys containers from a container bottomforming machine to a container filling machine.

Continuous motion machines for erecting, filling and closing containersare well known in the art, however, a disadvantage in the use of theprior art machines of this type, is that it is necessary for an operatorto stop a machine when checking containers to see if the bottom formingmachine is properly forming the bottoms of the containers. On the otherhand, the operator could try to pull a container from the machine whenit is operating, but this is against good safety practices and is notadvantageous. The stopping of a continuous motion machine of this typeis a disadvantage because it involves lost production and machinedowntime.

In view of the foregoing, it is an important object of the presentinvention to provide an automatic container ejector apparatus for acontinuous motion container fabricating machine which overcomes theaforementioned disadvantages of the container bottom inspectionpractices which are inherent with the use of the prior art continuousmotion container fabricating machines.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an automaticcontainer ejector apparatus which is efficient in operation and may beeasily adapted to a continuous motion container erecting, filling andclosing machine so as to permit an operator to selectively check thebottom forming efficiency of a particular station on a container bottomforming machine, and to eject selective containers one at a time or toeject a run of containers. The ejector apparatus of the presentinvention is adapted to be operated in a timed relationship with arotary transfer unit which transfers containers from a continuous motioncontainer bottom forming machine to a container filling machine.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novelautomatic container ejector apparatus for use with a continuous motionpackaging machine for erecting, filling and closing containers, andwhich packaging machine includes a rotary transfer unit for transferringthe containers from a container bottom forming machine to a containerfilling machine, the ejector apparatus including, a rotary cam meansoperatively carried by said rotary transfer unit for rotation therewith,a swingably mounted ejector arm means pivotally mounted adjacent therotary transfer unit, an operating linkage means connected to saidejector arm means and being operated by said rotary cam means forswinging said ejector arm means in one direction to engage a containerbeing transferred by said rotary transfer unit, and for swinging saidejector means in the opposite direction to eject said container fromsaid rotary transfer unit, and means for selectively engaging saidoperating linkage means with said cam means and for disengaging saidlinking means from said cam means. The swingably mounted ejector armmeans is adapted to form a part of the conveyor guide rails of therotary transfer unit when the ejector apparatus is not is not in use.

Other features and advantages of this invention will be. apparent fromthe following detailed description, appended claims, and theaccompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a side elevational view ofan illustrative container erecting, filling and closing machine providedwith an automatic container ejector apparatus made in accordance withthe principles of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the illustrative machine of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, horizontal view of the container ejectorapparatus illustrated in FIG. 1, taken along the line 3-3 thereof, andlooking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, horizontal section view of the containerejector apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1, taken along the line 4-4thereof, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, broken, elevational view, partly in section,with parts removed, of the structure illustrated in FIG. 4, taken alongthe 5-5 thereof, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary, broken, horizontal section view of thestructure illustrated in FIG. 5, taken along the line 6-6 thereof, andlooking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary, elevational section view of the structureillustrated in FIG. 4, taken along the line 7-7 thereof, and looking inthe direction of the arrows.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary, elevation section view of the structureillustrated in FIG. 4, taken along the line 8-8 thereof, and looking inthe direction of the arrows.

FIG. 9 is an illustrative electric control circuit for the automaticcontainer ejector apparatus of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The automatic container ejectorapparatus of the present invention is particularly adapted for ejectingfrom a bottom forming machine cartons or containers of the type shown inUS Pat. Nos. 3,120,333, 3,185,375, and 3,185,376. For a completedescription of a container which may be ejected by the ejector apparatusof the present invention, reference may be had to the aforementionedpatents.

Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 and 2, thenumeral 10 generally designates a conventional continuous motionpackaging machine for erecting, filling and closing containers. Thepackaging machine 10 includes a containers loader magazine generallyindicated by the numeral 11 which is adapted to supply flat foldedtubular container blanks to a rotary feeder apparatus generallyindicated by the numeral 12. The container blanks are successivelywithdrawn by the rotary feeder apparatus 12, erected into open endedtubular form and loaded onto a continuously rotating bottom formingapparatus generally indicated by the numeral 13 which heats, folds andseals the container bottom closure. After being transferred by therotary transfer unit 14 and filled by the rotary turret filler 15, thefilled and partially completed containers, open at the top, arepresented by the rotary transfer unit 16 to a rotary heating and topsealing turret 17. The filled and sealed containers are then conveyed bythe rotary transfer unit 18 and delivered to a conveyor generallyindicated by the numeral 19. The aforementioned machine elements areoperatively mounted on a common machine base 20.

As shown in FIG. 3, the numeral 23 designates the turret which carriesthe rotary transfer unit 14 and which also drives the usual containertop prebreaker apparatus. The automatic ejector apparatus of the presentinvention is adapted to coact with the container top prebreakerapparatus so that the containers 32 may be ejected without conflictingwith the top prebreaker action. The turret 23 is operatively supportedby a vertical drive shaft 24 which is adapted to be rotated by anysuitable means, as by the same main power means for driving the otherparts of the packaging machine 10. The turret 23 supports a plurality ofcontainer transfer members 25, and in the illustrative embodiment, thereare five such container transfer members which coincide with the fivetop prebreaker stations.

' As shown in FIG. 5, the container transfer members 25 each include anupper horizontal arm 26 which is integrally connected to a verticalintegral flange 27 that is secured by any suitable means, as by machinebolts 28, to the turret 23. The container transfer members 25 furtherinclude a lower arm which is integral with a vertical flange 30 that isconnected by suitable machine bolts 31 to the turret 23. As shown inFIGS.

5 and 6, the container transfer members 25 are adapted to engage acontainer 32 and transfer it in a circular path from a pair of spacedapart horizontal conveyor or transfer rails 33. As shown in FIG. 5, theconveyor rails 33 are fixedly mounted on a support arm 34 which isintegrally attached to a vertical support member 35. The support member35 is provided with a support base 36 which is seated on the machinebase and attached thereto by a plurality of suitable machine bolts 37.As shown in FIG. 4, the rotary transfer unit 14 includes a curved uppercontainer guide rail 38, and a lower container guide rail 39 as shown inFIG. 3.

As shown in FIG. 5, the ejector apparatus vertical shaft 41 is rotatablymounted adjacent its upper end by a suitable bushing 42 in the verticalsupport member 35. The shaft 41 projects upwardly from the supportmember 35 through a sleeve 43 and a thrust washer 44 and into a bore 45formed in an ejector arm support member 46. The shaft 41 is retained inthe support member 46 by a suitable tapered pin 51. As shown in FIG. 5,the ejector arm support member 46 supports a pair of vertically spacedapart upper and lower ejector rails or arms 47 and 49, respectively. Theupper ejector rail 47 is secured to the upper end of the support member46 by a plurality of suitable machine bolts 48. The lower ejector rail49 is secured to the lower end of the support member 46 by a pluralityof suitable machine bolts 50. As shown in FIG. 5, the shaft 41 extendsdownwardly into the machine base 20 and is rotatably supported by alower bearing means 53 which is retained by a retainer screw 54 in asupport bracket 55. The support bracket 55 is secured to a portion 57 ofthe machine base 20 by machine bolts 56.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a crank 58 has a bifurcated end which issecured by the bolt 59 to the lower end of the shaft 41. A stop lug 60extends outwardly from the bifurcated end of the crank 58 and is adaptedto engage an adjustable stop member 61 which is carried on a threadedshaft that is threadably mounted in a flange 63 carried by the supportmember 55. As shown in FIG. 6, a second stop member 61 is spaced apartin a horizontal plane from the first stop members 61 and is alsothreadably mounted in the flange 63. The stop members 61 are adapted tobe locked in adjusted positions by the lock nuts 62 and they operate tolimit the rotatable movement ofthe crank 58.

As shown in FIG. 5, the crank 58 is provided with a yoke end 64 to whichis pivotally mounted a clevis member 66 by a pivot pin 65. A rod 67 hasone end threadably mounted in the clevis member 66 and is locked in anadjusted position by a lock nut 68. As shown in FIG. 4, the other end ofthe rod 67 is threadably mounted in a second clevis member 71 and lockedin position by a locknut 72. As shown in FIG. 5, the clevis member 71 ispivotally connected by a pivot pin 75 to the yoke end 73 ofa crank 74.As shown in FIG. 4, the crank 74 is pivotally supported by a pivot pin76 on one end of a fixed horizontal support plate 77. The plate 77 issupported in a fixed position on the lower end of a machine standard orpost 78 which is carried by the machine base 20. As best seen in FIG. 5,the upwardly extended support member 79 is formed on the crank 74 at theend opposite to the pivot pin 75. A cam roller' 80 is rotatablysupported on the upper end of the support member 79 by a suitable headedshaft 81 which has the lower end thereof threadably mounted in thesupport member 79.

As shown in FIG. 4, the cam roller 80 is adapted to be engaged by thetwo-part, five-lobe cam 82 which is attached by a plurality of machinebolts 86 to a support plate 85. As shown in FIG. 5, the support plate 85is secured by any suitable means to the rotatable turret shaft 24. Thecam 82 is provided with five lobes 83 and five recesses or valleysbetween these lobes which are formed by the inwardly inclined surfaces84. The cam roller 80 is normally held off of the cam 82 in aninoperative position by the following described structure.

As shown in FIG. 4, an air cylinder generally indicated by the numeral87 has a bifurcated end (FIG. 7) pivotally attached by a pivot pin 88 toan anchor plate 89 that is secured by machine bolts 91 to a support armon the machine base 20. As shown in FIG. 4, the air cylinder 87 isprovided with a cylinder rod 92 that extends outwardly from the otherend. The cylinder rod 92 has its outer end threadably mounted in aclevis member 94 and secured in place by a lock nut 93. The clevis 94 ispivotally attached by a suitable pin 95 to the crank 74 at a positionbetween the pivot pins 75 and 76. The air cylinder 87 is a double-actingair cylinder which is air operated in both directions. As shown in FIG.4, the air cylinder 87 is provided with a suitable two-way solenoidoperated flow control valve 110 which is spring operated in onedirection and solenoid operated in the other direction, and whichfunctions to normally permit a flow of air under pressure, as forexample, 90 psi. to enter the piston end of the air cylinder 87 so as tonormally force the rod 92 outwardly and pivot the crank 74 in aclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 4 to hold the cam roller 80 off ofthe cam 82. The rod end of the cylinder 87 has admitted thereto at alltimes air under pressure through a suitable flow regulator 114 so as tomaintain an air cushion of approximately 30 psi. on the rod end of thecylinder 87. The higher pressure on the piston end of the cylinder 87overcomes the air cushion pressure to hold the cam 80 in an inoperativeposition so as not to contact the cam 82 until an ejection action iscalled for by the operator.

As shown in FIG. 4, an ejector rail limit switch 95 is carried in afixed position on a switch support plate 101 which is suitably securedto the fixed plate 77. The limit switch 96 is provided with an operatingarm and roller 97 which is adapted to be engaged by the crank 74 fortiming the movements of the ejector rails 47 and 49 at the correct timein operation with the top prebreaker mechanism. Limit switch 96 is anormally closed switch so that when the switch is actuated the contactis broken and the rails 47 and 49 are in their normal guiding position.

As shown in FIG. 4, an ejector timing limit switch 98 is also carried bythe support plate 101 and it is provided with an operating arm androller 99 which is adapted to be selectively engaged by the cams 100which are formed by both heads of bolts threadably mounted in the cam 82at the leading endsof the lobes 83.

FIG. 9 illustrates a schematic electrical electrical control circuit forinterconnecting timing limit switches 96 and 98 with the operation ofthe solenoid operated flow control valve 110. Numerals 102 and 103indicate leads which would be connected to a suitable source ofelectrical power. The solenoid operated valve 110 is adapted to beenergized by operation of carton eject pushbutton switch 105 which isinterconnected between the leads 102 and 103 by the'leads 104, 106, 107,109, and 111, junction 108 and the ejector timing limit switch 98. Theejector rail limit switch 96 is also interconnected between the lead 102and the junction 108 by the leads 112 and 113.

OPERATION The automatic container ejector apparatus of the presentinvention is provided to permit the operator of the packaging machine 10to check the container or carton bottoms at periodic times, as forexample, every hours or so. The packaging machine 10 does not have to beshut down to remove a container. As is seen from the aforedescribedstructure, the ejector apparatus is timed and operated to insure that acontainer can be ejected without stopping the machine and causingmachine downtime and lost production. The pushbutton eject switch 105may be mounted in a convenient position on the machine 10, as forexample, on the control panel shown on the machine in FIG. 1. When thepushbutton switch 105 is depressed, the solenoid operated valve 110 isoperated to dump the high pressure from the piston end of the cylinder87 to permit the lower pressure air at the cylinder end to automaticallymove the piston rod 92 inwardly of the cylinder 87, thereby causing thelever 74 to be swung counterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 4, and to bringthe cam roller 80 into operative contact with the outer periphery of thetiming cam 82. As the cam 82 rotates in a counterclockwise direction asviewed in FIG. 4, the cam roller 82 will drop into the valley or recessformed by the surfaces 84 so as to move the crank 74 in acounterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 4. This last mentionedaction causes the rod 67 to pivot the crank 58 in a clockwise directionaround the shaft 41 to cause the ejector arms 47 and 49 to be moved in aclockwise direction to a position whereby as the cam 82 continuesrotation the cam 80 is engaged by the next lobe 83 to move the cranks 74and 58 in the opposite direction and swing the ejector arms 47 and 49 ina counterclockwise direction to eject a container 32 outwardly onto asuitable platforms as 115 which is shown in FIG. 5. It will be seen thatthe ejector arms nonnally function as a part of the transfer unit guiderails. The operator can remove one container 32 by a single depressionof the pushbutton switch 105, or he can remove a run of containers bykeeping the pushbutton switch 105 depressed until the desired number ofcartons or containers have been ejected.

It will be seen that the automatic ejector apparatus of the presentinvention permits a packaging machine operator to make a periodic checkof the containers to make sure that the bottoms are being properly madeby the bottom-forming machine 13. The operator can also maintain avisible check on the containers and eject predetermined containers whichappear to be defective. lt is also possible to maintain a qualitycontrol inspection on the containers being formed by a certain mandrelon the bottom-forming machine 13. The bottomforming machine 13 has aplurality of mandrels and each of them are marked. With the ejectorapparatus of the present invention, the operator can accurately ejectcontainers from a predetermined mandrel for quality control inspectionof the container bottoms coming off of that mandrel.

While it will be apparent that the preferred embodiment of the inventionherein disclosed is well calculated to fulfill the objects above stated,it will be appreciated that the invention is susceptible tomodification, variation and change.

What we claim is:

l. in combination with a continuous motion packaging machine forerecting, filling and closing containers and which is provided with acontainer bottom forming machine, a container filling machine and arotary transfer unit for transferring cartons from the bottom-formingmachine to the filling machine, said rotary transfer unit havingcontainer conveyor guide rails, an automatic container ejector apparatuscomprismg:

a. a rotary cam means operatively carried by said rotary transfer unitfor rotation therewith;

b. a swingably mounted ejector arm means pivotally mounted adjacent saidrotary transfer unit;

0. an operating linkage means connected to said ejector arm means andbeing operated by said rotary cam means for swinging said ejector armmeans in one direction to engage a container being transferred by saidrotary transfer unit, and for swinging said ejector means in theopposite direction to eject said container from said rotary transferunit; and,

d. means for selectively engaging said operating linkage means with saidcam means and for disengaging said linkage means from said cam means.

2. The automatic container ejector apparatus as defined in claim 1,wherein:

a. said pivotally ejector arm means is fixed on a shaft pivotallymounted on said packaging machine;

b. said operating linkage means includes,

1. a first crank having one end attached to said shaft,

2. a linkage rod having one end attached to the other end of said firstcrank,

3. a second crank pivotally mounted on said packaging machine,

4. said linkage rod having the other end attached to one end of saidsecond crank,

. a cam roller operatively mounted on the other end of said second crankfor operative engagement with said rotary cam means, and,

6. said means for selectively engaging and disengaging said linkagemeans to said cam means is pivotally connected to said second crank at apoint between the pivot mounting point of the second crank, and the endto which linkage arm is attached.

3. The automatic container ejector apparatus as defined in claim 2,wherein, said means for selectively engaging said operating linkage withsaid cam means and for disengaging said linkage means from said cammeans comprises:

a. a fluid operated cylinder having a cylinder rod connected to saidsecond crank;

b. means for continuously admitting a fluid under a low pressure to oneend of said cylinder for moving said cylinder rod inwardly to a positionto engage said cam roller with said cam means; and,

c. means for admitting a fluid under a high pressure to the other end ofsaid cylinder for moving said cylinder rod outwardly to a position todisengage said cam roller with said cam means in opposition to said lowpressure, and for exhausting said high pressure fluid from said otherend of the cylinder to allow the low pressure fluid to move the cylinderrod inwardly.

4. The automatic container ejector apparatus as defined in claim 3,wherein:

a. said means for admitting fluid under high pressure to the other endof said cylinder comprises a solenoid operated flow control valve.

5. The automatic container ejector apparatus as defined in claim 4,including:

a. timing control means for timing the operation of said ejector controlarm means with said rotary transfer unit.

6. The automatic container ejector apparatus as defined in claim 2,wherein:

a. said cam means comprises a rotary cam having a plurality of lobes andvalleys therebetween equal to the number of stations on said rotarytransfer unit.

7. The automatic container ejector apparatus as defined in claim 2,wherein:

a. said ejector arm means comprises a pair of vertically spaced apartguide rail portions that form a part of the rotary transfer conveyorguide rails during normal operation of the rotary transfer unit.

1. In combination with a continuous motion packaging machine forerecting, filling and closing containers and which is provided with acontainer bottom forming machine, a container filling machine and arotary transfer unit for transferring cartons from the bottom-formingmachine to the filling machine, said rotary transfer unit havingcontainer conveyor guide rails, an automatic container ejector apparatuscomprising: a. a rotary cam means operatively carried by said rotarytransfer unit for rotation therewith; b. a swingably mounted ejector armmeans pivotally mounted adjacent said rotary transfer unit; c. anoperating linkage means connected to said ejector arm means and beingoperated by said rotary cam means for swinging said ejector arm means inone direction to engage a container being transferred by said rotarytransfer unit, and for swinging said ejector means in the oppositedirection to eject said container from said rotary transfer unit; and,d. means for selectively engaging said operating linkage means with saidcam means and for disengaging said linkage means from said cam means. 2.The automatic container ejector apparatus as defined in claim 1,wherein: a. said pivotally ejector arm means is fixed on a shaftpivotally mounted on said packaging machine; b. said operating linkagemeans includes,
 2. a linkage rod having one end attached to the otherend of said first crank,
 3. a second crank pivotally mounted on saidpackaging machine,
 3. The automatic container ejector apparatus asdefined in claim 2, wherein, said means for selectively engaging saidoperating linkage with said cam means and for disengaging said linkagemeans from said cam means comprises: a. a fluid operated cylinder havinga cylinder rod connected to said second crank; b. means for continuouslyadmitting a fluid under a low pressure to one end of said cylinder formoving said cylinder rod inwardly to a position to engage said camroller with said cam means; and, c. means for admitting a fluid under ahigh pressure to the other end of said cylinder for moving said cylinderrod outwardly to a position to disengage said cam roller with said cammeans in opposition to said low pressure, and for exhausting said highpressure fluid from said other end of the cylinder to allow the lowpressure fluid to move the cylinder rod inwardly.
 4. The automaticcontainer ejector apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein: a. saidmeans for admitting fluid under high pressure to the other end of saidcylinder comprises a solenoid operated flow control valve.
 4. saidlinkage rod having the other end attached to one end of said secondcrank,
 5. a cam roller operatively mounted on the other end of saidsecond crank for operative engagement with said rotary cam means, and,5. The automatic container ejector apparatus as defined in claim 4,including: a. timing control means for timing the operation of saidejector control arm means with said rotary transfer unit.
 6. Theautomatic container ejector apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein: a.said cam means comprises a rotary cam having a plurality of lobes andvalleys therebetween equal to the number of stations on said rotarytransfer unit.
 6. said means for selectively engaging and disengagingsaid linkage means to said cam means is pivotally connected to saidsecond crank at a point between the pivot mounting point of the secondcrank, and the end to which linkage arm is attached.
 7. The automaticcontainer ejector apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein: a. saidejector arm means comprises a pair of vertically spaced apart guide railportions that form a part of the rotary transfer conveyor guide railsduring normal operation of the rotary transfer unit.